Perception of halal foods among non-Muslims: concepts, trends and future research avenues

Purpose Consumers’ food choices are influenced by the religious beliefs they hold. However, a systematic investigation between religion and the perception of halal foods remains ambiguous. Current research aims to examine and inquire about the essence of the topics, contents and understanding of the perception of halal foods among non-Muslims. Design/methodology/approach Following the PRISMA protocol, a systematic review approach was taken for the time frame of January 2010–August 2024. For data collection, the extant literature was extracted from three major online databases, namely, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. Findings Non-Muslims have a limited comprehension of halal foods. They perceive halal foods to be safe, nutritious and freshly produced in terms of quality. They have a favorable disposition toward the halal concept. They also associate halal foods with perceived health benefits, perceiving it as a personal preference as opposed to a religious obligation. Practical implications This study will help academics and practitioners to understand how non-Muslim consumers perceive halal foods. Industrial food makers can use this research to understand how their potential consumers identify halal foods. This will help producers learn and optimize their earnings. Originality/value To the authors’ best knowledge, this study offers a comprehensive analysis of the topic of this study. This is the first study through a systematic approach during the postpandemic era, which examined the perceptions of non-Muslim consumers toward halal food products, suggesting the advancement of research on halal food holds potential for leveraging Islamic practices in non-Muslim economies.